Flight attendants report rashes from new uniforms

DALLAS — Fifteen flight attendants from American Airlines have complained that the new wool-rich uniforms the company unveiled this month have resulted in itching and headaches.

American said it thinks the health issues are isolated and might be due to a wool allergy.

“They have the option to have a 100% cotton uniform or polyester,” said Fernand Fernandez, vice president of global marketing. “They look exactly the same, just different materials.”

The Chicago Business Journal, which first reported the story, stated that more than 400 flight attendants informed their union that they have broken out in hives and experienced headaches since wearing the new uniforms.

More than 70,000 American Airlines workers debut new uniforms Tuesday

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents American’s 25,000 flight attendants, did not immediately return an email from WFAA on Thursday night.

“We’ve only seen 15 that have actually contacted us directly,” Fernandez said.

The flight attendants who have reported concerns are based in DFW and Chicago among other places, Fernandez said.

The new uniforms, unveiled Sept. 20, are the result of three years of work and research. It’s the first time in a quarter of a century that American fully redesigned the uniforms.

American said the new pieces underwent extensive fabric testing, including determining whether they any had sensitizers or irritants in them before mass production began.

“We benchmarked it against retail brands,” Fernandez said.

Of the 80,000 employees in a number of work groups at American, the 15 flight attendants are the only ones who have contacted the company with any concerns, Fernandez added.

Previous uniforms were made out of synthetic materials.

American’s uniforms are another element as it updates its brand with a new livery, new aircraft added regularly, and a new corporate headquarters to be built in Fort Worth.

Follow Jason Whitely on Twitter: @JasonWhitely